Night Angel
by StarOfGalaxies
Summary: I am Latia an angel who lives on Earth. Right now I'm being targeted by the fallen who are angels who work for the Atrox. Supposedly I can revive their dead leader who will help the Atrox bring destruction of the human race. the author sucks at summaries
1. Prologue

Few people know about the war, or guess it was just one battle (or so I was told) between the two types of angels and the fallen.

My mother told me of the tragic story of one group of angels from the darkness who grew sick of working for God and then began working for a evil, soulless creature called the Atrox. Their leader was a powerful angel called Androcles. She told me that a mixed group of angels that included her and my father confronted Androcles and his band of traitorous angels. She didn't give details, but she said that by combining her powers and my father's they were able to destroy Androcles. The other traitors fled and scattered.

But these two types of angels didn't get along well, even after the Fallen were defeated, and were even more angered when two angels, of different sides, fell in love and were married. They were my parents. My mom was an angel of darkness and my father was an angel of the light. The other angels shunned me; a mutt and dirty blood half-breed who tainted their pure blood ways. I was a child of Darkness and Light.

I was four when the group of Fallen attacked my parents and killed them in our secluded home that was too far away from the city to have a hope for help, I doubt anybody would have helped us anyway. I had a feeling my parents knew they were going to be killed because my mother told me to hide right before they attacked our home. It was hard for me to stay silent as I watched them brutally murder my parents. They probably would have killed me too if I hadn't gotten away and fled to the city where they could not pursue me.

When this crime was found out it was decided that I was too much of a danger for anyone to care for. Sure I was the child of the two heroes who had killed Androcles, but I was a target as well in their need to avenge their dead leader.

Heartlessly, the other angels banished me from the realm. I landed in Earth in a city, and I know this is very, very ironic, called Los Angeles, the city of angels. I fell asleep, scared and alone in a hidden cave near the ocean.

In my dream my mother came and gave me an amulet for protection and a charmed charm bracelet that would hide my wings as black angel wings tattooed on my back.

When I woke-up, it was daytime. I quickly put the bracelet and amulet on. I walked from the cave and onto the beach. There had been a group of surfers surfing the waves. A girl and a guy sitting on the beach spotted me.

The girl called the police and filed a missing child report. Since no one claimed me I was put into foster care. I went from Latia, beloved daughter of Keydea and Devlin to Angela, daughter of no one and a pathetic stray.


	2. Chapter 1

I rolled over in my bed and smacked my hand on the snooze button of my very, very annoying alarm clock. I curled into a ball and raked my hand through my hair that was coming out of the braid that went down my back. I heaved a sigh. I hated Earth.

I hated its people more than anything. It was probably because of the foster parents who couldn't take me and my "weirdness" and would shove me back to the social workers to find me a new home that seemed to last a shorter duration than the pervious.

It shouldn't matter anymore, I was eighteen now and had gotten my own place as fast as possible with the money I got from fast food jobs, assistance jobs, an the job I'm now working at. The Café nearby my apartment who pay pretty well, at least enough for me to live in this one bedroom apartment, and it wasn't too far that I needed to walk for long or buy a car for. My old foster parents were paying for my school tuition and books, but I barely kept in contact. They were unnerved by the things that happened when I got stressed out still.

The alarm went off again. I rolled over, hit the snooze, and then chucked it into the hamper. Even though I was eighteen, I was still in high school. The only way to get a good job in this world is to complete this high school bullcrap and then go to this college crap. I say again, this world sucks. Who makes their child go through about twelve years or more of school and then force them take even more schooling? Sure us angels had more years of school, but we didn't have to do a lot of mathematics, grammar, and chemistry.

I heaved a sigh and I heard my alarm clock blaring from my hamper. A pillow couldn't muffle the sound. I moaned and threw the pillow off my head. I could still hear that darn alarm clock. I rolled out of bed. I didn't realize how close I was to the edge of the bed until I landed flat on my butt on the carpet. It seemed like a bad omen. Maybe I should just skip school today and crawl back in bed.

I got my butt off the floor and dug the alarm clock out of the hamper. I'm amazed it still works since this wasn't the first time it's been thrown across the room. I flicked switch and turned it off before setting it back on the nightstand. I scratched my head before walking into the bathroom. I flicked on the light. A gray-blue eyed teenager girl stared back at me. Her dark sandy-gold hair hung in loose strands around her round face or they were still in the braid down her back. I stuck my tongue out at her. She looked really tired and drained.

"Good morning Latia." I said. "Have another great day being Angela Dawn." I waved at myself with a disgusted look on my face. I took out the rubber band and unbraided my hair before running a brush through the waist long strands. I washed my face in the sink and decided I didn't feel like doing anything with my hair, the same as every day.

I walked into my room and dug a black t-shirt with angel scrawled in silver gems on it and a pair of mid-thigh jean shorts out of my dresser. I threw my tank top and pajama shorts on my bed before sliding on a pair of clean panties and a bra. I slipped on the t-shirt and shorts. I turned the bathroom light off after I found my slip-on black shoes hiding in the corner. I grabbed my school stuff that had been caught in a homework tornado and thrown every which way by the chaos that is my life. I stuffed it in my bag and made my way out of the bedroom.

The kitchen/living room was cleaner than my room, mostly because I lived in my room more. I grabbed a breakfast bar out of the cabinet and a bottle of apple juice. I snatched my cell phone and keys from the shelf by the door and stuffed them in my pockets. I un-locked the deadbolt and stepped out of the apartment into a white walled hallway. I locked my door and began walking toward the stairs.

"Hey Angela, wait up!"

I paused at the voice. Jacob and his younger sister Amelia ran after me. Jacob was a senior like me and Amelia was just a little freshman. Her eyes swept over me and her face twisted into disproval.

Amelia seemed too insecure to me. She always wore a lot of make-up and tight, revealing clothes. Her dirty blonde hair was constantly being dyed to a "platinum" blonde. She was always worrying about her weight and zits. She was always throwing jealous looks at me too. It's not my fault I'm an angel and supposedly look beautiful beyond compare.

Jacob was like most guys in L.A. A surf bum with a deep tan and huge muscles. His red hair hung down to his shoulders and light freckles were sprinkled over his nose and forehead.

"Hey." He said when they caught up. "Did you get the Calculus homework done?"

"Of course. It's due today ya know." I said as I began walking down the stairs.

"Well, yeah, I guess." He said. His brown eyes looked away. Guilt came off in waves. "Do you mind-?"

"You're never going to learn anything if you just copy off of me." I said.

"Oh, stop being so-" Amelia started, but a quick glance from me made her lose her train of thought. "It's not like you'll go to hell or anything."

"So you've become an expert on hell." I said. "I'm not surprised." I narrowed my eyes at her. I knew what she did with her guy "friends." Her thoughts were filled with stuff like that. It made me nauseous.

She glared at me, but didn't say anything.

"You're in a great mood today, Angela." Jacob said.

"Gee, I was beginning to think you couldn't tell." I snapped.

Jacob whistled. He was use to me not being a morning person.

"What's a matter Angela?" Amelia said slyly. "Boyfriend too busy to spend time with you, oh wait, you don't have one." She sneered.

Jacob shot a look at his sister, but didn't say anything. He was probably afraid that if he tried to defend me I would bite his head off again.

"I don't want one." I said. "And I'm not going to lower myself to certain standards that says I should just go out with a guy just to have a boyfriend." I stopped at the corner and waited for traffic to slow.

"Whatever." She muttered.

I glared at her. "I'm not a heartbreaker or a user. I'll go out with someone I truly have feelings for greater than brother or friendship."

She looked away, guilty. "Why do you have to make everyone feel bad?"

"It's the truth, even if it hurts." I said before stepping of the curb onto the street. I saw my school, L.A. Brea High, was close. I wouldn't have to argue with her anymore.

Amelia spotted her friends and she left us with a quick "Later." Jacob took my arm and stopped me.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine." I said, impatience dripped from my words.

He didn't believe me. "Are you sure? Are those punks at that Café overworking you?"

"Jacob." I sighed. "I'm fine. I got my homework done so they didn't overwork me."

"If you need help paying rent-"

"Jacob, please. I swear to you that I will tell you if I need help, so don't worry about me unless I say something." I touched his arm. I willed away his worry into the back of his mind.

He looked me straight in the eye even though most avoid it. "Promise?"

"Promise. Cross my heart and all." I said.

"Good." His attention was drawn away from me. "Nina!"

A tiny young woman with pale skin and dark curly hair skipped up to us.

"Morning Oscar the Grouch." She said to me. A sly smile crossed her face when she saw Jacob. "Hey handsome. Haven't seen you in a while."

Jacob frowned. "But I saw you last night." He shrugged. "Most have been some other short, black haired hot chick." The corners of his mouth twitched up.

She smacked him playfully. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek while she giggled.

I rolled my eyes and stuck my finger in my mouth. Nina stuck out her tongue at me and then turned back to Jacob for a kiss.

I shook my head and walked toward the metal detectors.

"Hey Angela." A girl with dark hair and green eyes said. She had a silver amulet that seemed silver unless it was in the light. It was the symbol of the moon.

"Hey Serena." I said, waving.

She frowned. "You doing okay?"

I sighed. "Yes." I said annoyed.

She grinned. "You don't sound okay."

"How do you sound okay?" I asked handing my bag to the security guard.

"By not sounding like you got two minutes of sleep last night." She answered.

I looked at her. "How did you know?"

She looked startled for a second, but quickly recovered. I could read her mind and I could tell from the aura around her that she had the gift to read minds. I kept my mind blocked at all times so she couldn't read my mind, but she still worried about accidently answering my thoughts. I know she found it suspicious that she couldn't read my thoughts.

I smiled to reassure her. She shook her head at me. When the guard handed me back my bag he also looked at me strangely. "Are you feeling all right?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm _fine._"

He narrowed his eyes at me. "If you're on one of those get thin quick diets that make you starve yourself."

I waved the breakfast bar and apple juice in his face. "What does this stuff look like? Personally I thought this food."

He grinned at me and let me pass. I got a little ways before I was stopped by a Hispanic girl who wore the same amulet as Serena.

"Angela, you don't look well." She said with a soft Mexican accent.

"So I'm not the only one who thinks she looks a little sick." Serena appeared beside me. "You've been working too hard." She said disapprovingly, like a mother. Her eyes shone. "You should come with us to Planet Bang tonight."

"I'm not a partying type of girl." I said, opening my juice and sipping it. "And I have to study."

Serena rolled her eyes. "You're worse than Vanessa."

"Who's worse than me?"

Vanessa Cleveland, known as one of the most popular girls in school walked up to us with her boyfriend, Michael Saratoga, holding her hand. Her blue eyes looked at me.

"Angela-"

"Please don't say you don't look too well." I said.

"I guess that means we're not crazy." Jimena said. A smile spread across her face.

I heaved a sigh "I'm not going to say anything." I pushed around them. "See ya guys later." I waved as I walked for my locker. I heard in their thoughts that this wasn't the end of trying to convince me to go out clubbing with them tonight.

I raked my hands through my droopy hair. I felt okay, but evidently I didn't look okay. I darted toward a bathroom. There were girls in there with their faces almost pressed against the mirrors. I glanced at my reflection.

Maybe when I was getting ready I didn't pay attention to my reflection because now I noticed that my skin looked sickly pale and there were bruises under my eyes.

"Hey." I turned and saw a tanned, brown haired girl with a cigarette looked at me. "Are you okay?"

"I think so." I said. "I don't feel bad."

She offered me her cigarette. I shook my head. "It's not that. I don't smoke."

She shrugged and tossed the cigarette down the toilet.

Since I didn't feel bad I decided to continue with the school day. Some of the teachers looked at me with concern, but didn't say anything.

I left my last class before lunch and walked out into the quad. I found a tree and lulled in the shadows as sunlight was dappled on my skin. I pulled out my peanut butter sandwich and bit into it.

I'll give Earth one thing, they had a great variety of food.

"Hey chica." Jimena said.

"Hola." I said, waving

Her dark eyes stared at me. She was an ex-gangster and didn't seem afraid to look me straight in the eye. "You still don't look good." She sat beside. "If you lean back and go limp a bit then I'm sure they won't bug you about going out tonight."

I smiled at her. "Maybe I should go. Shock a bunch of people when I show up wearing a dress."

She smiled wide and began picking at her lunch. I took my amulet in my hand and stared at it. It was a black crescent moon with delicate swirling white pattern. Over the moon was a white five point star with a black swirling pattern like on the moon. Since the day I put on, I've never taken it off. It actually can't come off. I've tried, but I haven't been able to take it off.

Jimena eyes the amulet. "Who gave that to you?"

"My mom." I said curtly, hoping she wouldn't ask anymore questions.

She nodded. I saw the others coming. I stuffed the rest of my lunch in my bag. "I think going to go ahead and go home. I probably just need to lay down for a while."

Serena jogged up to us. "You going home?"

I nodded.

"We're still going to come by your apartment." A brown haired girl with big brown eyes said. She had a carefree and mischievous air about her. I smiled. "If you're not dying, then we're dragging you to Planet Bang."

Vanessa shot her a look of disproval.

"I'll be sure to accidently overdose on cold medicine." I smiled at Catty.

Vanessa shook her head as a dark haired, amazingly beautiful girl joined us. Tianna Moore.

I waved good-bye and walked for the band room where I could sneak out. I could probably get the nurse to let me go, but it was a waste of time. 'Sides, I'm immortal whatever I have won't kill me.

I slid under the fencing and darted out into the crowd. I walked down the sidewalk to my apartment building. I darted up the stairs quickly and unlocked my room. I tossed my bag into the couch in front of the sliding glass door. I raked my hand through my hair as I leaned against the wall.

Why did I feel so bad? It was rare for me to get sick. It usually was food poisoning, but never a real sickness. I walked into the kitchen and dug around for some saltine crackers. I opened a sleeve and nibbled on one as I stared outside at the robin egg sky.

My body ached for night so I could go out flying. I didn't do it every night. I discovered something when I was practicing, I was really playing around not really practicing, that I could teleport from place to place if I held a clear picture of my destination in my mind. It meant that I didn't have to fly over this city every night. I think it has something to do with my powers over light or it could be a darkness power too. Late night flying is probably the reason I feel so bad.

I gave up on the crackers and walked into my bedroom. I tossed the pajamas off the bed and flounced down onto it. I curled up with a pillow and fell asleep.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"She's hiding something." Tianna said. "And I don't mean about her being sick."

"I can't read her mind." The others stared at Serena. "Not even a thought. Nothing. It's like, she has no mind."

Catty laughed. "Well, she is a blonde."

Vanessa elbowed her best friend. "Be serious Catty. Do you guys thinks she's a Follower?"

Jimena shook her head. "She wears a moon and star amulet around her neck."

"I saw that." Serena said, biting into a tuna sandwich. "But it was a black moon."

"I doubt Followers would wear any type of moon symbol." Tianna said. "Even a dark moon symbol."

"So what is she?" Catty asked. "Or are we just being paranoid?" She stretched.

"I think Serena not being able to read her mind at all means we're not being too paranoid." Vanessa said. "Maybe we should ask Maggie."

"I don't think we know enough to tell Maggie." Jimena said. "How much do we know about this girl?"

They exchanged looks. Angela never really gave anyone a glimpse into her personal life. She was quiet, kept to herself, and pretty much a loner. Even Jacob Stark, her neighbor barely knew anything about her. Serena read his thoughts about her and the only thing he knew was that she was a foster child living on her own. She was hiding something, even if it wasn't too abnormal.

Catty sighed. "So, are we going to convince her to come to Planet Bang tonight?"

Jimena pursed her lips. "We should. We need to find out more about-"

The other Daughters of the Moon stood and watched as Jimena's face froze and a scene played behind her eyes. She blinked.

"What did you see?" Tianna asked.

"Angela." Jimena said. "All I saw was her face, and she looked terrified."

They heard the bell go off. They all jumped.

"Crap." Serena grabbed her stuff. "I can't be late!" She ran off.

The others quickly gathered their stuff.

"We should invite her tonight and try to find out more about her." Vanessa said. "She seems nice, she's just too quiet though."

"You say that about everyone." Catty complained. She wasn't too concerned by the bell. "If you guys want, I can bend time and go check on her."

Jimena shook her head. "It's no that important. We'll ask her later tonight. I'll swing by your house about seven and then we can head to her place."

"K." Catty gave a thumbs-up before running for her next class.

"Michael's going to pick me up tonight." Vanessa said. "I'll see you then."

Jimena waved good-bye before running off to her next class. Intuition was telling her that Angela was hiding something big and it was going to affect the Daughters one way or another.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Mom?" I turned and saw a woman with soft brown hair and silver eyes looking behind her and then turning to me. Her black wings ruffled like she was thinking about taking flight.

"They're coming Keydea."

My body froze at the voice. "Dad?" I turned and saw the blonde man with blue eyes and white wings that was indeed my father.

"Running won't save us. The others have never accepted us and never will, especially concerning our daughter." My father continued.

"So we fight them." She seemed a little eager. "But, Latia."

I suddenly realized I was reliving my last memory of them. No, please no. Not again, never again. I tried to block it, but it seemed like it was trying to come through with ever ounce of power I had. I couldn't stop it.

My father grabbed my arm and pointed toward the woods. "You are to run, run as quickly as you can to the city." He pulled me so he could look me straight in the eye. "Whatever you hear or see, do not turn back. You keep running until you reach the city, understand?"

I nodded. "But why…?"

"Latia." My mother said. She knelt down and hugged me fiercely. "Remember, no matter what someone tells you, you are special, one of a kind. And we will both always love you." She kissed my cheek. She swept my hair from my face and wiped the tears off that I didn't realize I had shed.

My dad hugged us both. I curled against them. Please let the memory stop here, here in their arms. Don't let it continue. Don't let them die!

My dad pushed me away. "Run now! Don't look back!"

I ran into the woods. But a sound in front of me made me stop. I dived into a thick bush and curled into a ball.

The battle happened in fast forward, like my mind wanted me to hurry up and see their deaths. No, stop. Stop!

There were at least a dozen of them. They had a hard time subduing my parents despite the greater numbers. But evidently they had their arms pinned behind their backs and my parents were unable to keep fighting.

One with spiky black hair and cold eyes stepped toward them.

"Where's your pretty little daughter?" His voice sent shivers up my spine.

"Gone." My mother said, spitting out blood.

He sighed. "What a shame. I guess we're just going to have settle for your two's deaths.

No. No! Stop, wake-up! Wake-up now!

I screwed my eyes shut and my mother's screams vibrated around me followed by my father's pained cries.

"NO!" I bolted straight up. I stared blankly at the wall in front of me. I was on Earth, in my bed. My limbs were shaking violently. I put my face in my hands. God, no, no. My breathing was shaky, but I don't think I was crying yet.

I suddenly felt someone's presence. It was more than one, but I was too shaken up to tell how many. I looked up. The sun had set and the room was dim, but I could see three heads and a mass of shadows standing right outside my room. One of them reached toward me. A ringing in my ears blocked their voice, but I had the impression they said my name.

Another memory flashed: the spiked angel reaching for me and dragging me from my hiding place as my parent's took their last breaths.

"No!" I screamed again.


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I do not own or will ever own the Daughters of the Moon, all the characters not coming from my head are Lynne Ewing's.

Thanks to all those who are reading this. Please review. I'd greatly appreciate it since this is my first fanfiction.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Hey, chica, relax. It's just us." Jimena's voice said soothingly. One of the shapes near the door flicked on the light and the room was filled with white light. I blinked and saw Jimena Castillo, Catty Turner, and Serena Killingsworth standing in my room. I let out a shaky, relived breath.

"God, you're making the bed shake." Serena said. She sat on the edge of the bed. "You okay?" Her green eyes shined with concern. "We heard you screaming."

"Yeah." I rasped. My throat was dry. I swallowed. "It was just a nightmare." I untwisted the sheet from my legs and got out of bed.

"You want to talk about it?" Catty asked.

My throat closed up. I could barely stand reliving that memory, if I talked about it I would completely fall apart. I shook my head. I walked into the bathroom, flicked on the light, and poured a glass of water from the sink. I leaned against the wall and sipped the water. They hovered near the door.

"You feel up to coming with us tonight?" Jimena asked.

I thought about. I rolled my wrist and watched the water shifting in the glass. "Yeah." I knew I wouldn't want to go to sleep for a while, probably forever, and now I really I wanted to get out of this apartment. It suddenly didn't feel safe because of the memory showing up. "I won't go back to sleep and I don't feel like doing homework."

I tossed the rest of the water into the bamboo plant that was in the tiny window near the toilet. I put the glass back and began brushing my tangled hair.

"We brought you something from Vanessa's house." Catty said, handing me a plastic bag. "We saw it and it screamed Angela." She gave me a big smile that seemed to be her trademark.

"You really didn't have to." I mumbled. I pulled out a short black dress. I grimaced and they laughed.

"You said you wanted to wear a dress and shock everyone." Jimena said.

I sighed. "Fine." I shut the door and began taking off my school clothes. I slid the black dress over my head. It hovered over my knees with a neck strap going behind my neck and it was backless. The material was silky and clingy. There were glitter specks in the material so they shimmered when I moved. It was plain, but I loved it. It showed off the two black/gray wings tattooed on my back. I sighed, my real wings were black, but when they were in the light and I moved them they would switch to emerald green, dark blue, deep purple, or maroon colors. No another angel had wings like mine, and yes that made me feel special. I felt nervous about having the tattoo revealed though, but pushed my worry aside. I've lived fourteen years without them finding me. Why would they suddenly find me tonight?

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I walked with the girls to the line. I found black strappy heels with small gems on the straps over my foot and my ankle to go with my dress. I didn't wear any kind of make-up, but some glitter lotion Serena had brought. White crystal earrings hung from my earlobes and a black gem bracelet was on my left wrist. My bangs had been pulled back by a black scarf with a silver crescent moon on it with swirls in between it and two silver stars. I bit my lip nervously when I caught the stares I was getting. I shifted nervously. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I was never the brave type, at least when dealing with people.

"Relax." Serena said, linking elbows with me. Her eyes shone. "See anybody you like?"

"No, not really." I admitted. We were almost at the front of the line. "Maybe this was a bad idea."

"Too late!" They declared. They handed their purses to the guards and then pulled me past them to the ticket counter.

I handed the guy my money and they pulled me into the club.

Music slammed into me and pulsed through me. The energy was intense and made me excited despite the worry that was starting to eat a hole in my stomach. What was I so worried about anyway? Maybe that memory affected me more than I was realizing.

I pushed the memory back. I watched as guys and girls danced close together under flashing rainbow lights. There were some creepy looking people standing in corners looking zoned out and just watching people dancing.

"Come on." Catty pulled me toward Tianna and Derek and Vanessa and Michael who were dancing together.

"Oh my God, she's wearing a dress!" Derek exclaimed. He put his hand on his heart.

I made a face at him. My face started turning red at all the stares I was getting from the guys.

"Love the dress." Vanessa said, winking. "And that tattoo."

"Thanks. I'll get the dress washed and I'll give it back-"

"Keep it." Vanessa said. "I don't really care for it and the customer didn't want anymore. My mom was more than happy to let you have it."

"Thanks." I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned around. Some really, really hot sexy blonde guy with ice blue eyes and some really yummy arms was behind me. He wore a tight black shirt with a white cross with wings on the back and black jeans that was ripped and torn artfully. My face was burning.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked.

"Uh, I can't dance." I blurted. _"Idoit."_

"She'd love to." Jimena said, rolling her eyes. She grabbed my arm and sort of flung me at the guy. Well, she pushed me toward him and my feet didn't move fast enough. Darn the heels.

He caught me before I slammed face first into the dance floor. I'm sure my face burned off into a puddle on the ground. I glared at Jimena, but she just waved and slinked away into the crowd. Evil jerk.

I looked him in the eye my face started to burn again. He smoothed his hand up my upper arms.

"Relax." He said. "I don't bite." He grinned pervertly. He put his hands on my hips.

"I really don't dance." I muttered.

"It's not that hard." He said.

"Sure, but you know how to dance." I mumbled again.

He chuckled. "Relaxing helps and moving your feet."

I looked down and then glanced back up at him. I moved my feet in a small circle and put my hands on his shoulders.

"Better." He grinned. "My name's Aidan."

"Angela." I said.

"Is that the reason for the tattoos on your back?"

I nodded. He smirked. I tried to peer into his mind, but there was a wall. I tried not to frown, but no one I've ever met has ever had a wall like this.

He put his hand on my back and laid his chin on my shoulder. His cheek pressed against mine and I could feel his lips softly kissing my neck. My heart pounded and my skin became very feverish. I've never been this close to a guy before. It made me feel very jittery and an ache was spreading through my body.

I closed my eyes and felt my fingers twining in his shirt collar. His lips moved up my neck and I felt his warm breath in my ear.

"I know your secret." He whispered.

I tensed. My heart stopped. I pulled back, but his arms kept me from running off. "What?"

He stared at me. I couldn't read the emotion there. "I know who you are, Latia, daughter of Keydea and Devlin, and angel of heaven."

My stomach dropped out from me. I couldn't breath. The music was gone and despite being on the over crowded dance floor, I was freezing. I took a step back, or tried to.

"Let me go." I hissed. I braced my hands against his chest and tried to push him away.

"Latia."

"Let me go!" I spat at me. I writhed and broke from his hold. I rammed into dancers and knock kids to the ground ignoring the angry shouts and Aidan shouting my name.

The only ones who would come after me are the fallen whose leader is Androcles. The other angels had no interest in my fate.

A group of teenagers walked into the club. Their evil aura tainted the air. I skidded to a halt.

"Latia!"

I turned back and saw Aidan making his way told me. I ran for the exit and rammed right into a guy with a pincushion face and Atrox tattooed on his shaved head.

"Hey, beautiful." His eyes glowed yellow and he grabbed my arms.

"Let me go." I said.

He smiled.

"Now!" I screamed. I sent a jolt of pure energy into his head. His face twisted with pain and he let me go to cradle his head.

I darted through the other kids and into the night. The crescent moon did little to light the area. The stars were hidden in the glare of the city lights.

I ran blindly. I paused for two seconds to take off my shoes before taking off again. I ran down a narrow alley that led right to my apartment building.

I saw a black mass fall from the roof and land right in front of me. I tried to stop, but I skidded right into their arms. They grabbed both my wrists in one hand and covered my mouth with the other and I felt wings wrapping around me in a second embrace.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A determined shadow weaved around Tymmie, who was holding his head right outside the entrance to Planet Bang. He went along the walls of the club until he spotted who was looking for. He poured his shadow self back into his body and stepped out onto the dance floor.

Serena turned and watched as he walked casually up to her. Her moon amulet glowed white, signally for her to run or fight. Her face was a conflict of emotions: hurt, pain, betrayal, love, and eagerness.

"Stanton." She whispered. Almost as if she had summoned them, the other Daughters stood beside her.

"What do you want, _vato_?" Jimena asked.

"I come with a warning." He said quietly. "It's about your friend, Angela Dawn."

They felt their guts drop. "What about Angela?"

His blue eyes swept over the club. He gestured for them to follow him. They followed after him warily.

They walked out into the alley behind the club.

"First of all, her real name is Latia." Stanton began. "A few days ago a group of angels of the darkness came to us. They are called the fallen and they work for the Atrox."

"Wait, angels working for the Atrox?" Catty asked.

Stanton nodded. "I didn't even know. I thought it was only a rumor or I assumed they wouldn't still look like angels. But, they came with the news that they had found Latia, the daughter of the two angels Keydea and Devlin who destroyed their leader." He paused and checked the area. "Her parents were killed fourteen years ago." He said without feeling. The Daughters looked at one another.

""They also presented a prophecy that said that Latia could revive their lost leader, Androcles."

"How?" Tianna asked. She wasn't too sure if she believed him or not. The others had told her about Stanton, now the Prince of the Night, and how he went back to the Atrox after they freed him.

"I don't know." He said. "It'll be bad news if the leader of the fallen was to be revived." He smiled crookedly. "He has more power than me and so do the others."

"We knew Angela, er, Latia was hiding something." Vanessa said.

"But we didn't think she was a frickin' angel." Catty said. "Wait, angels exist?!"

Stanton nodded.

"What kind of screwed up world do we live in?" Catty said. "I mean, we're Goddesses and she's an angel. We shouldn't both exist."

Tianna playfully punched her. "Quit acting so goofy. We need to be serious. If what he's saying is true, then we could be in a heap of trouble in a few days."

Jimena's eyes narrowed as she glared at Stanton. "How do know what you're saying is true?"

"Ask her." Stanton said. "And watch her reaction or you can just stand around and watch what happens." He glanced around. "I have to go." He stared at Serena, but she wouldn't look him in the eye.

"Let's go then." She said coldly. She turned around and walked back into the club.

Stanton looked sadly at her retreating figure before melting away into the shadows.

"Should we believe him?" Vanessa asked.

"Well, we know Angela is hiding something." Catty said. She opened the back door and they walked in. "We'll ask her tomorrow."

Jimena laughed. "That'll be something. Walk up to Angela and ask her, 'Are you an angel?'"

Serena pushed through the crowd and walked up to them. Her face was distressed. "I can't find Angela or that guy she was with."

"Doubt she's the slutty type." Tianna said.

"I got a piece of a thought from Tymmie." Serena continued. "She ran out of here like all the demons of hell were snapping at her heels."

"Considering she's an angel, that does make since." Catty said. They gave the brunette Goddess a look. "What?"

"Should we head over to her house and check on her?"

"If she did take that guy home then she won't appreciate us intruding." Tianna said.

The others stared at her.

"What?" She rolled her eyes. "I was kidding, but if she is an angel, I think she can take care of herself."

"But there are other angels coming after her." Serena said. "And possibly the Atrox as well. How do we know that she has the power or knows how to use her powers to defeat them?"

Jimena bit her lip. "I'm assuming that I'll get a premonition of her capture, if it'll affect us like Stanton says. She'll be fine. We should go to Maggie any way and ask her what she thinks we should do."

The others agreed. "First thing tomorrow."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

An angel with white-blonde hair and black wings walked down a hall and entered the meeting place of the Cincti, the Inner Circle of the Atrox.

"Donahue." One of the hooded men said.

"We have found her." He said this without a doubt. "The daughter of darkness and light." His mouth twisted into a sneer. "Filthy mutt."

"And according to your prophecy Androcles can be freed by her?" The hooded man asked.

He nodded. "Seems when he was destroyed his spirit latched onto the living soul that lived inside Keydea."

"Her daughter."

Donahue nodded.

A dark mass of evil was hovering behind its "loyal" Followers. "Good." It said. "This girl will be interesting. Parents of mixed power."

"There is actually a prophecy in our world that a child of darkness and light will decide the fate of all angels." Donahue said. "If she falls, then all angels will fall."

"Good." The mass of evil hissed.

"We already have a plan that has been set into motion." Donahue said. "I apologize for not telling you first, but we had to make sure and to do that, we had to set the plan in motion."

"I see no problem with that." It said. "Do what needs to be done to make her one of my Followers."

Donahue bent his body in half in a bow and left the room.


	4. Chapter 3

I screamed wordlessly in their hand. I tired to pull away, but their wings wrapped tighter around me. I could feel them trying to get through my barrier. It felt like there were fingers pressing on the soft tissues of my brain.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins. Because flight was impossible I opted for fight. I bent my leg and rammed my knee into his gut.

"Nuh." He gasped. His grip loosened and I was able to pull free. I shoved his chest and darted around him. I started running again toward my apartment. Wait, I don't want him to know where I live.

"No!" He shouted.

I saw thin black tendrils outlined by the lights from the street wrap around in front of me. My arms snapped to my sides as they tightened around me. My thighs were pinned together. I started to scream again. A tendril wrapped over my mouth.

I dug into my power and released a pulse of white light. The tendrils dissolved into nothing.

Arms grabbed my biceps. He spun me around and pressed against a brick wall.

"Don't scream." He said. It was Aidan.

"Yay right." I hissed.

"Don't you knee me again either." He added

"You're not the boss of me." I said between clenched teeth.

"Listen to me." He said. "I'm not part of the fallen."

"Lair." I hissed. "None of the other angels gave a damn about me."

"I'm sorry." He said. I couldn't see his face. "I was born after that time. My parents told me about what happened. I feel bad about what happened and want to make amends by helping you."

I narrowed my eyes at him, even though he probably couldn't see. "I don't trust you."

"Listen to me, you're in danger."

My gut sank. "What do you mean?"

"The fallen know what city you live in and sooner or later they will find out who you are." He said, releasing his tight grip on my arms.

"What interest could they possibly have with me?" I asked. "My parents are…" I looked down at the ground. "They can't use me to punish my parents for killing their leader."

Sadness was coming in waves from him. Maybe he was genuine, maybe meaning unlikely.

"There's a rumor going around in the realm that Androcles can be resurrected by you." He said.

I felt a chill pass through me. "That's impossible."

"Nothing is impossible for someone pure evil." He said. He turned his head and glanced around.

Anger boiled in veins. "Do they really think I would help resurrected that murdering, evil bastard?" I hissed.

He faced me. "According to rumor, it won't be willingly."

I shivered. I began to feel sick. Fear was plugging up my throat. Even though my mind was telling me that there could be a chance that he's lying, my intuition was reminding me of the nightmare I had and how for some strange reason I had relieved a memory that before had been carefully sealed away in the back of my mind. This was just too coincidental.

I started trembling. "They'll never go away." I spat. "They'll leave me alone!" Hot tears pressed in my eyes. I was drained, emotional and physically.

He pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly. His wings wrapped comfortingly around me. It brought on a sweet memory from my past. My parents would both hug me like this. I miss them so much. Why did they have leave me all alone?

I wrapped my arms around him. He petted my hair and kissed the top of my head.

"I have to go." He said. "I'll be missed soon. Be careful, please."

He let me go and I watched him melt away into the darkness. A darkness angel.

I slumped against the wall and sat down with my legs pulled up to my chest. I trembled slightly. What did he mean it probably wouldn't be willingly? What was their plan to free Androcles?

I heard a pathetic mewling. I turned and saw a tiny kitten with its pink mouth stretched wide as it whined pitifully. It had a black muzzle, ears, tail, a long black stripe down its spine and one black paw on its white body. Its eyes were a silvery color. It was fluffy, but I could see its ribs. Behind it were two feline bodies, a black and white cat. I could sense no life from them.

I felt a terrible sinking in my stomach. Black and white; darkness and light. A kitten who was a mix of the two.

I shook my head. I was acting foolish. This was just a coincidence.

"Come here kitty." I said. I uncurled and reached out to him. "Kitty, kitty."

It narrowed its eyes at me and gave me the kitty glare. It flattened its ears at me and sniffed my fingers. It stretched and curved its back under my nails. He was so cute.

He hopped into my lap and stared up at me.

"Guess I'm taking you home, huh?" I asked.

It meowed at me. I didn't look at the other two cats as I picked him up and started walking for my apartment. I pulled my keys out of a pocket and unlocked the door.

I flicked on the light and looked around. It looked like no one had been here looking for me. I shut the door with my foot and tossed the sandals in the corner by the door.

I wrinkled my nose at the smell of garbage and looked down at the likely source. "You need a bath little man."

It looked at me and meowed. He must be hungry.

"I'll feed you after a bath." I promised. I put him in a basket that held newspapers and college advertisements.

I walked into my bedroom and shed the dress. I dug into my dresser and pulled out an old gray t-shirt and a pair of sweat pants. I grabbed a rubber band and pulled my hair into a sloppy bun on my head.

I didn't have a bathtub and the bathroom sink wasn't deep enough. I grimaced. It was going to have to be bathed in my kitchen sink.

"I'll bleach it later." I decided. I grabbed a bottle of hand soap from the bathroom and walked out into the kitchen/living room. The kitten was on the counter and was sniffing around.

I walked over to the double sink and put the stopper in one of them. I turned on the water to warm. I poured a long string of pinky-orange soap into the clear water and white foam immediately filled the sink.

The kitten walked over and stared at the bubbles. I picked him up and lifted his tail. It was a him.

"Hmm, now what am I going to name you?" I asked him, putting him back on the counter. I tested the water and shut it off. He swiped at a bubble near the edge. A piece of foam stuck on his paw. He licked it and then shook his head. I began opening and closing his mouth like it didn't taste too good. He began shaking his paw and flinging bubble everywhere.

"Come here dirty boy." I laughed. I picked him up and plunged him into the soapy water.

He meowed shrilly and dug his tiny claws into my hand. His eyes were wide as they looked up at me.

"Sh, it's all right baby boy." I said. I held him in one hand and was lathering with the other. I could feel his vertebrae and the hard tiny bodies of fleas. He kept whining.

I picked him up and he dug his back claws into my arm. I winced and then laughed.

"You look like a drowned rat." I said. Streams of water came off of him and he looked like one pissed off kitty. I put him in the empty sink and turned the facet on to wash off the soap.

He meowed like I was torturing him.

"Almost down bubway." I said.

I reached and drained the other sink. I zapped the living fleas with a small spark of electricity. Maybe I'll super bleach the sink. I grabbed a towel off the rack and wrapped it around him. I dried him, rubbing his fur the wrong way. I looked in my fridge and found some ham.

I would have to go to Wal-Mart. I glanced at the clock. They were probably still open.

I carried him to my bathroom and shut the door behind us. It was tile so any accidents would easily be cleaned up. I set him down and he ran to hide behind the toilet. I opened the plastic Tupperware container and pulled out the last bit of ham. I shredded it into small pieces and made a small pile on the floor. I poured water into the bowl and set it next to the ham.

He immediately ran from his hiding spot and began gobbling down the ham. I scratched his spine and he bent his back and purred causing him to choke a bit on the food.

"Slow down." I whispered. "It's not going anywhere." Pity welled in my heart for this tiny little creature. I felt connected despite the difference of species. If those were its parents, then he was an orphan like me. Only _he _probably didn't have his own kind kicking him out of his home realm and throwing him at the mercy of another realm that before he had only watched from above.

I raked my hands through my hair. Aidan's appearance and warning had messed with my mind more than I'll admit. He looked at me and meowed. Instead of being mad there was a worried expression on his face.

"Jack." I said.

"Mer-_row_?" He tilted his head to the side.

"It's your name." I explained.

He put his leg in the air and began licking his butt. I snorted and smiled.

"Glad you like it." I said. I got up. Partially wondering why I was talking to this kitten. Evidently I wasn't having enough social outlet. I got up and left the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. I walked into the kitchen and put my wallet into my pocket. It would take too long to walk, and Aidan did warn me that I was in danger.

I focused my mind on a dark alley near Wal-Mart. The air began to shimmer like on a hot day. There was a soft crack and I was in the alley with Wal-Mart staring right at me.

I walked in quickly. The night seemed very hostile like thousands of eyes were watching me. There was a spasm in my muscles as I walked down the aisles picking up a litter box, kitty litter, kitten formula, food bowls, and kitten food. I even found a cute little toy for him.

I paid for the stuff and took the bags out to the alley where I teleported back home.

I let him out of the bathroom. I stuff the litter box in between the toilet and the sink with him watching me. As soon as I was done, he walked over and sniffed the litter.

I walked back into the kitchen and put the bowls down and poured a little food and water into them.

When I was pulling back on my pajamas, I suddenly remembered my nightmare. A cold sweat broke over my skin and I began to tremble slightly. I was afraid to sleep, to dream about my past and relive that dark hour.

I curled up in my bed, shaking, and staring at the shadows, waiting for sleep to unwillingly take me. Jack hopped into the bed and made me jump.

I sighed. "What are you doing goober?" He curled up into a ball next to my stomach and fell asleep.

He purred softly and I let sleep take me.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The newly christened kitten Jack opened his eyes and twitched his ears. He could hear someone in this room besides the female Hindwalker.

Jack and his parents had escaped from a burning Hindwalker den. His parents suffered mortally burns and died almost instantly after escaping. He had watched the girl and some male messing around in the alley. At first he thought they were fighting, but then they acted like most couples that came down in the alley. The male left and he drew attention to himself so the female would notice him.

He regretted as soon as she plunged him into water when they got to her den. How could this sweet, kind-hearted soul ever do that to him? He'll grudgingly admit it did make him feel better, but it wasn't worth it.

His ears twitched and he stood up. A shadow moved near the door and it was Hindwalker height. He arched his back and puffed out his fur knowing that this thing, whatever would run in terror at his size. He hissed.

"Peace little one." A wise voice said.

Jack narrowed his eyes and hissed again. A figure stepped from the darkness and to the bed. He had white hair and out of his back were white wings.

Jack blinked. Was this creature some kind of giant bird? The creature walked up to the bed and scratched his head with Hindwalker fingers. There was a flash of something shiny. His parents had always warned him about Hindwalkers and shiny objects. It never ended well. He stepped back and his hind leg stepped into the girl's stomach. She mumbled and rolled onto her stomach.

"I mean her no harm little feline." He said. He took the long shiny object and set it next to the girl. He stared at her. "She looks just like her mother. She has her father's hair color though." He muttered. He turned to the cat. Jack looked up him, his pale eyes reflective.

The Bird-like Hindwalker put a finger in between the cat's eyes. Jack felt a rush in his brain.

The angel spoke in an ancient tongue that no one, but the Ancient ones knew. "You are now my eyes and ears, watch over her."

Jack blinked and bowed his head. "As you wish Ancient one." He said.

"Thank you." The angel vanished.

Jack curled up against the girl-angel. He knew this girl was important, but how was unknown. What was known was that she would go through many trails, this is what the angel told him when he was given the ability of speech.

He wondering if getting a bath would be the worst thing he would face with this angel as his owner.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Latia." A man's voice said.

I turned from heavens, which were currently randomly switching between night and day, and my mouth dropped.

My father held up his hand for silence. "I only have short time. Do you remember my weapon? The sword made of sky iron and star fire?"

I nodded. I resisted, with greatly difficult, the urge to run to my father and hug him.

"I entrusted it with an Elder." He continued. "It should be delivered to you now."

"Me?" I asked. "But, I don't know how to use it. I've never used a weapon before."

"You will learn." He said simply. "Remember, it can take the form of any weapon you can think of."

His form shifted. "My time is up." His bright blue eyes looked very sad as he stared at me and I wanted to cry since he seemed unable to. I felt a tear rolling down my face.

"Dad." I croaked.

I was suddenly in his arms. I hugged him tightly even though it felt like he would explode in a puff of molecules if I did so. He kissed the top of my head.

"We never wanted to leave you." He said. "We never would have, but it was the only way for us to protect you."

I sobbed in his chest. "I wasn't worth it. I was never worth your lives!"

"Never think that." He said harshly, but his voice was fading. Him and the area surrounding us were going black. It felt like I was going blind. "You were _more _than worth it. We would die as many horrible and brutally deaths possible, if you could be kept safe."

I remembered Aidan's warning. "Wait, can Androcles be freed? How can he? Why do they need me?"

All I felt was the hot, prickling sensation of anger and then nothing.

I blinked and realized my face was buried in my pillow. I lifted my head and saw the sun shining in through the window. I felt a warm, ball of weight curled up near my hand, which was on the other pillow on my bed. I looked over and saw Jack sleeping soundly with his tail over his nose. Below that pillow was a long silver-white sword with ice blue gems in the hilt.

I rolled over and sat in my bed staring at it. Jack raised his head and blinked sleepily at me.

"Good morning."

"Shit!" I leapt out of bed and stood at the edge staring at the kitten. He uncurled slowly and arched his back, stretching his toes as he stretched.

"Language, Latia, you are an angel." He said as he sat down and wrapped his tail around his paws. His voice and manner of speaking seemed too sophisticated for his tiny kitty body.

"Well, I wake up after a dream were I talked to my dead father to find that the kitten I rescued can talk!"

He chuckled. "I couldn't talk when you first found me, but an Elder came last night to deliver the sword and he made me his eyes and ears."

An Elder? Elder was the title given to the oldest of angels. They were the ones who delivered God's messages to us. They kept the realm in balance and were pretty much in charge. I fell to my knees so I could look him in the eyes. "Who?"

He tilted his head to the side like he was thinking. He then shook his head. "Sorry, I can't tell you."

I blew my bangs out of my face. I tried to peer into his mind. My jaw dropped off when I found a block.

"He knows that I could be a source of information for your enemies." Jack said smoothly. "He gave me a barrier that is impenetrable."

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. "This day is already too weird and it's only," I glanced at my clock. "Ten o'clock." I sighed and thumped my head on the mattress. "I need coffee."

"Coffee stunts your growth." Jack said. "And it's not wise to get addict to caffeine."

I scowled at him. "You are not my parent." I stood up and walked to the kitchen. "And you're a lot younger than me so why should I listen to you?"

The cat shook his head. "Of all the angels in heaven, this is the one?" He looked at the ceiling. "Glad you're in charge and not me." He hopped down and followed the angel into the kitchen.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Vanessa pressed the button on the security panel. The other girls stood and waited.

"Yes?" The voice of their mentor said.

"It's us." Serena said.

The magnetic lock buzzed and Jimena pulled the door opened. The girls walked through the lobby and into the elevator. They got off the elevator at the fourth floor. They walked down the walkway to Maggie's apartment. The door opened once they got there.

She wasn't in her retired schoolteacher design. She looked like she did all those eons ago when she was a young girl in Greece. She invited them in. They gathered around her kitchen table and she served tea.

"I'm sure you girls are here about the fallen angel." She said.

They looked at her. They knew they should know that nothing could really surprise Maggie, but they couldn't help being a little surprised she knew.

"Yes." Jimena said calmly. "Stanton told us about her. She's Angela Dawn and she goes to our school."

Maggie looked very serious. "That's not good. Her parents killed the leader of Atrox's fallen angels and the Atrox will want revenge for what has happened."

"Stanton said that the fallen angels can revive their leader with her." Vanessa said.

Serena sat silently in her chair, feeling very depressed. She shook her head, she couldn't let Stanton distract her.

"If this is true, this could be very bad for us." Maggie said. "Angels are very powerful, as powerful as a demon if not more powerful." She looked at them. "This angel is particularly important. She is the daughter of light and darkness. She will have a power beyond imagination."

The other girls looked at each other. "What should we do?"

"I would assume after all she's been through that she will not place her trust in someone easily. But we need to do all we can to help her and keep her safe from the fallen and the Atrox."

"Should we confront her with what we know?" Serena asked.

Maggie looked thoughtful. "It would be a good idea. She's bound to find out that you know any way. If you tell her then she'll be less likely to panic and run off right into danger."

They nodded.

"Does anyone know what she does on Saturdays?" Vanessa asked.

Catty shrugged. "We could swing by her house and see if she's there."

"It's the only thing we can do." Tianna added.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Have you gotten your shots?" I asked Jack while I was eating cookie dough ice cream.

He looked at me. He shook his head. "Ice cream isn't a good breakfast meal and I don't need shots."

"It's technically lunch time." I argued, putting another spoonful in my mouth.

"It's not a good meal period." He said.

I snorted. "I'm an angel. Sugar won't do anything." I put another spoonful in my mouth in a defiant manner.

He dipped his head and sighed. "There's obviously no use arguing with you."

"Nope." I said.

He tilted his head to the side. "I should go." He ran off the counter and to the window were he jumped out and vanished.

I frowned, but continued with eating my ice cream.

I heard a knock on my door. I walked to the door with my ice cream and opened it.

Aidan stood on the other side with a smile on his face. I remembered last night and my muscles tensed, unsure whether or not to trust him.

He looked at the ice cream and smirked. "That isn't a very healthy breakfast."

I groaned. "You are not the boss of me." I thought about shutting the door in his face. "Why are you here?" I asked, leaning against the door jam.

His eyes swept down my pajamaed form. "Did you just roll out of bed?"

"Maybe." I said. "Why are you here?" I repeated.

"Just making sure you're okay." He said, his eyes were soft and nice. They made my stomach squiggle. He reached out and touched my cheek. I batted it away.

"Did I say you could touch me?" I asked.

"The words didn't come out of your mouth, but your eyes said I could." He said, a smile crept on his face. An arrogant aura was coming off him. He knew how my body was reacting to his. Damn hormones. And yes, it's not just human teenagers who suffer through this.

My heart did this awkward thump and my skin felt flushed. What the hell was he doing to me? Maybe he had the gift of healing also and he was making my body react to him by messing with my hormones. I gritted my teeth and thought about kneeing him in his tender boy area.

"You want to go out flying?" He asked.

"It's the middle of the day." I blurted.

"You do know how to teleport?" He asked. He walked into my apartment.

"Yes." I said. He looked around. "Out."

"You're very rude." He said. "We angels are supposed to kind and courteous to our guests." He grinned at me.

"I don't trust most angels anymore." I said bitterly.

He looked sadly at me. Anger prickled through me. "Get out." I hissed. "Please." I added.

He looked at me and then walked up and put his hands on my arms. He looked me right in the eye and I felt my cheeks burning.

"Please, coming flying with me. You should really being flying often. You don't want to get soft especially if the fallen is coming after you." He reminded me softly. A crooked smile crossed his face. "Besides, I need you to protect me."

"Me?" I squeaked rather stupidly. "Why do you need my protection?"

"It's unwise to go out alone in these dark times." He said. He had a sad puppy dogface. "Please." He put his chin on my shoulder and whispered in my ear. "Please. You're not going to be cruel and make me beg on my knees are you?"

My skin burned. "All right. I'll go get dressed." I shut the door and locked it. "Wait here." I said.

He looked thoughtful and grinned prevertedly. "Maybe I don't want to wait _here._"

I smacked him. "Damn pervert."

He laughed. "You shouldn't cuss, you are an angel."

"You shouldn't be a pervert, you are an angel." I retorted.

He laughed.

I walked into my room and shut the door firmly. I found a backless halter top and a pair of artfully ripped jeans. I pulled on a pair of black boots and brushed my hair. I took off the bracelet and put it in a locked jewelry box. My wings burst from my back with a sharp aching pain. I stretched the stiff muscles and walked back out.

Aidan had his wings too. I noticed a shell necklace was missing from his neck. They were pitch black and stuck neatly out of his shoulder blades and in the middle of his back there was a curling tattoo. Then I realized he had taken off his shirt. He had deeply tanned skin that was a bronzy gold, like the type of tan everyone tries to achieve. I blushed.

He turned around and I saw that he had an eight pack. Oh God help me. My ears have been burned off. He laughed, knowing exactly what was causing my embarrassment.

"'S not funny." I murmured. "Get a shirt on."

"Why?" He asked. "It's easier to fly without a shirt on."

"Get over it and put your shirt back on." I said. I looked away and tried to quell the squiggles and butterflies in my stomach and the heat and tingling that was spreading everywhere. "Do you have the gift of healing?"

"Yes."

My head snapped up and I glared at him. "Then stop it!"

He frowned. He looked very confused. "Stop what?"

"Stop making my body act all…funny." I said. I felt stupid for saying it and even more embarrassed. Damn him.

He walked over to me until I could feel the sweet heat radiating off his skin. His eyes were smoldering and I forgot why I hated him. Hell, I forgot how to breathe. "I'm not doing anything, on purpose." He wrapped his arms around me.

I pushed on his chest. "Let me go."

He grinned. "You say that a lot. I'm just teleporting."

I could feel the change in the air and the room blurred. My skin felt cool and moist and the air smelled like night. Before my apartment completely disappeared, I thought I heard someone knocking on my door.


	5. Chapter 4

The wind blew softly around me, lifting my hair. It was cool and relieving after the heat of L.A. The full moon was shining turned the grass gray, the trees black, and the lake into mercury. There were breaks in the sea of gray with splotches of white, pink, and yellow.

"It's beautiful." I gasped.

"We're in Germany." He said. He looked at me. "Haven't you ever traveled to here?"

"I don't think so." I said. "I often just pictured some place. I don't pay attention to the name of the country I'm in."

He unfurled his wings and took off into the air. "Aren't you coming?"

I stretched my wings and took off after him. I took a deep breath and flew on my back. I saw the starry heavens above me and I reached out to touch it. It was clear and beautiful with little puffs of cloud in the sky.

Aidan flew above me and blocked my view. "What are you dreaming about?"

"The moon makes everything look so beautiful." I said.

He smiled. "Yeah, it does."

I made a face from him and let out a burst of speed. I did a barrel roll and twisted in the air. It felt wonderful to be flying again. It felt like I was completely free. I spread my arms and basked in the light of the universe.

I felt arms wrap around me and had a freak out moment. But then Aidan chuckled in my ear. "Relax Latia."

"I will never relax when your arms are around me." I said.

"Is that a promise or wishful thinking?" He asked.

I smacked him and slid out of his arms. He took my hand

"You should rest." He said.

I blinked. "I'm fine." I protested.

He smiled. "You're not right now." He tackled me. My wings churned air.

"Would you let me go!" I said. I rolled and twisted, trying to get free. We swept dangerously close to the ground.

"You really do say that a lot." He said. He released me and I fell onto the ground.

"Oof!" I said. I landed right on my butt and then laid against the ground, sighing.

He landed right beside me on his feet. He laid beside me with his head near my stomach and his stomach next to my head. My right wing was pinned under him. He put his arms behind his head and stared up at the night sky. I gave up and stared up too.

"What kind of flowers do you like?"

I lifted my head and looked at him. "What?"

"I don't know that much about you." He explained. "So what kind of flowers do you like?"

"So you're asking me about the kind of flowers I like?"

He grinned at me.

I laid back down. "If I answer your questions you then you have to answer mine." I bartered.

"Fine. But I have the right to refuse any question." He said.

"Deal." I thought about. "I guess I like lilies."

"Hmmm. I've always liked marigolds." He said. "When's your birthday?"

"Rather not say." I answered.

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Twenty-one. Zodiac sign?"

"Are you psychology evaluated me or something?" I asked.

"Nope. I'm just curious."

I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see. "Taurus."

He snorted. "I should have known. You do seem very stubborn."

This continued for who knows how long. He'd ask some random question and I would answer. There was one question he never asked and I was curious about his answer.

"What are your parents like?" I asked.

He tensed. "My father is pretty powerful and my mother just wants me to succeed." His tone said he wouldn't go any further. "I already know about your parents."

I grimaced. I switched to a different topic. "What does the tattoo on your back mean?"

"It's the ancient symbol of darkness. When an angel comes of age a tattoo like mine shows up, only for angels of the light it's the ancient symbol of light."

I rolled onto my side and propped myself on an elbow. "How come-why did-how did I never notice?"

He chuckled. "It's not known too much. It's a turning of age secret."

"When will it happen to me?" I asked.

"When you turn nineteen." He said.

My heart slammed into my gut. My birthday was early May which was only a couple months away. It would be soon.

I leaned back. He started with the psychological evaluation again. I stared back up at the sky and answered the questions.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"What's your favorite jewel?" Aidan asked staring up the sky. He didn't hear any answer. He looked up and saw that her eyes were closed and she was breathing deeply. He sighed. "Rude little girl."

He felt a presence in the air. He sat up and then stood up. An angel walked out from the trees. He had black wings and white hair. His eyes were cold and uncaring.

The angel smirked when he saw Latia sleeping. "Not what I expected from their daughter."

Aidan stood protectively in front of her. "Leave her alone." He said sharply. His power seeped into the air.

The angel smirked. "Protecting her Aidan?"

"Obviously Donahue." He said. Latia rolled over and curled into a fetal position.

Donahue looked at her before glaring at Aidan.

"Do really want to chance angering my father by attacking his son?" Aidan asked coolly.

Donahue's nostrils flared. His own dark power curled in the air. Aidan tensed, ready for the fight that was seconds away.

"I hope you know what you're doing." Donahue said suddenly. His power diminished and he vanished into the darkness.

Aidan relaxed his tense pose and turned back to Latia. He sighed and bent down and picked her up under the bend of her knees and her shoulders. He briefly wondered if Donahue had been silently hiding in the shadows and stealing her energy. He pressed into her mind, but even in sleep there was a barrier.

"Don't you ever relax?" He asked the sleeping girl. He cradled her tightly to his chest and pictured her apartment living room very clearly in his mind. The forest surrounding the small meadow was replaced by white walls. The grass turned to off white colored carpet and the lake was replaced by a kitchen. The evening sun tilted through the windows leaving a strip of orange-red bleeding on the carpet.

He walked into her bedroom and set her gently down on her bed. She stirred and dug her fingers into her pillow before snuggling against it. He smiled and took the blanket that was folded in half on the bed and draped it over her.

Something shiny caught his eye. On the other side of the bed was a sword that appeared to glow in the dim light. He frowned and then recognized it. It had been Devlin's sword, her father's.

He reached out to touch it. A jolt of ice blue lightning struck out and burned his fingers. He jerked his fingers back. He stared at the burn marks it had left. He should have assumed that Devlin would have placed a spell on his sword so only his heir could wield the sword. Many angels did so.

He knelt down and brushed the hair off her face. She was a child in more ways then one. The control and knowledge of her powers were at the level of a…normal angel's level. She looked and acted very childlike. She was so sweet and innocent. He could see, very clearly in her eyes, the large and soft heart she possessed that she guarded with her antisocial behavior. He kissed her forehead.

She mumbled in her sleep and buried her face in the crook of her arm. Her hand touched his face like she was trying to push him away.

"Rest easy dear one." He murmured, kissing her fingers. He let his body go and melted away into the shadows.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Latia." I felt someone prodding my side. "Latia."

"Go away!" I mumbled. I rolled over and pulled the pillow over my head.

"Latia, it is Sunday." Jack said.

"Let me sleep." I complained.

"Latia, you are an angel of heaven." Jack said. "A warrior of God, wake-up. It's the Lord's day."

I rolled over onto my back and looked at the cat peering over me. I blinked. I remembered talking to Aidan, but after that. I rolled over and saw a yellow lily growing from the wooden nightstand.

I smiled and sat up. Jack looked up at me from my lap. His eyes looked calculating.

"Come on. You need to meditate while the sun rises." Jack jumped out of my lap onto the floor.

I sighed and got out of bed, stretching my stiff wings. I followed him into my living room.

I felt my jar drop. "What did you do to my living room?"

The carpet was gone and replaced by silver green-blue stone. A ring of white flames was burning on the floor. The ceiling-wasn't there anymore. Instead it was the starry night sky that was slowly turning gray with light. The crescent moon shone brightly. There were stands with basins on them and in the basins something that looked suspiciously like flurries snow dancing from it. Connecting these stands were tendrils of lightening that sparked tamely. Vines covered the walls of my apartment with the wind whispering through the green leaves.

Jack sat in the middle of the ring of fire. "I have made it so all elements are present. Angels do work with the elements to help protect humans and, definitely your case, themselves."

"Even darkness and light?" I asked. Mom and Dad did teach me about the four main elements, the four lesser elements, and the three major elements.

He shook his head. "Since you are not of age, it is unknown which element you are-in control of. But those elements are always present." He beckoned me with his tail.

I stepped over the ring and sat cross-legged in the middle of the circle.

"Breath deeply." He instructed. "Focus on the element of spirit."

"What?" I asked.

He looked at me.

"I was only four. My parents taught me very little." I explained.

He sighed. "Just breathe evenly and close your eyes."

I did what he said.

"Let your mind wander and reach beyond the barriers of your body."

I felt like my mind left my body and I was traveling through the air. I sensed everyone's minds, what they were doing, what they were thinking. My brain began to ache from the sheer magnitude of psyche.

"Latia!"

I released spirit and came back to my body. I breathed deeply like I had held my breath for the entire time.

"Too much." He said. "Try again, only less this time."

"Less?"

"Not to the ends of the universe this time. Try to keep it in your apartment building."

"Okay." I tried again, doing the same thing only thinking of definite barriers of the apartment building.

Most of the residents were still sleeping deeply. Their dreams were chaos or didn't make any sense. Amelia was still up. I ran from her psyche and that of her partner's. Jacob was sleeping with his mouth open and stretched awkwardly on his small bed. I laughed softly and he jerked. He lifted his head sleepily.

"Angela?" He looked around and then without warning, his head fell back on the bed and he let out a chainsaw like snore.

I felt a strong warmth and saw that the sun was rising. I pulled my…spirit, psyche, whatever back into my body. Jack nodded approvingly at me.

"Thank you fire, air, water, earth, lightening, ice, nature and metal, you may depart." He said clearly

The room shifted and turned back into my living room. A golden orb rose over the buildings and brought light to the world. I looked at Jack with a large grin spreading across my face.

He rolled his eyes. "I expect you back here tonight, before sunset." He stalked off and stood by his bowl. "Now, I'm hungry. I don't have the digits to pour my own food."

I laughed. I felt…good. That was a really strange and wonderful experience. I couldn't wait to do it again. I got up and grabbed the kitten food. I poured him some. I grabbed the water bowl and rinsed it out with fresh water.

"I'll teach you how to control to the element of spirit before we move onto the other elements." He said, washing his ink dipped muzzle.

"A feline teacher." I mumbled. "Bet no one else has ever been taught by a tom cat."

He looked at me. It was a wise look and he definitely didn't look like a little kitten. "You are far from normal and are very special and unique. So, it's not unusual for you to be taught by something that doesn't walk on its hind legs." He shook his fur. His head tilted to the side.

"You have to go?" I asked. A grin was spreading on my face.

"Yes. There's something I must look into." He stood up and ran out the window.

I blew my bangs out of my face. So the cat wakes me at the crack of dawn and then runs off? Maybe I should get him neutered.

I walked back into my room and collapsed face first on the bed. I heaved a sigh. Damn feline. I wasn't tired anymore.

I rolled off the bed and went to my dresser to find some clothes for today. I was happy when I found my favorite no sleeve white shirt with black angel wings and a five point star, clean and folded neatly away. I found the jeans that had white paint splattered on them. Humans are funny creatures. I used these pants to paint my apartment and ended up tipping a tin foil paint pan over and onto these pant. I had to wear them to school one day and everyone thought they were the coolest things ever. O-kay. But at least this meant I could wear these pants without hearing nasty snide comments. Those do tend to get on one's nerves after a while.

I slipped on a pair of white flip-flops and then attacked my hair with a brush. I actually pulled my sides back with two silver clips. I found my charm bracelet and put it back on. My wings disappeared back into my back.

I winced at the pain. I walked into the living and grabbed my keys, and on second thought, my wallet. You never know when you are going to find something that you just have to have. Man, I sound like a human teenage girl.

I walked out of the apartment and shut the door, locking it. Because it was just a little past dawn, not very many people were up. Most of those who were up were drunkers with nothing else to do, but wander the streets.

I stretched in the lazy hour. Wandering over to a park near the school. The leaves shifted in the wind and the water was a shiny mirror. So maybe I wasn't entirely upset with Jack waking me up, it was very beautiful.

I stretched lazily. It was probably dangerous and stupid to be wandering out alone, but it was dawn. The Followers would be hiding in their lairs after a long night of soul/hope sucking. And the fallen wouldn't come after me with potential witnesses.

I sat on a bench and stared at the water. My thoughts were on Aidan. Who was he really? Who were his parents? Why exactly was he helping me?

Maybe his parents were one of the ones who wanted me banished. It could be a reason why he wanted to help me. He could also be a son of those who fought with my parents to defeat the fallen. I often wondered why those angels, the angels who fought side-by-side with my parents, would also want me to kick out of the realm of the angels. Was there some evil prophecy that stated if I had stayed that the end would come?

I felt a chill. Did they know about the possible resurrection of Androcles? Or did they think it was a wild goose chase of sorts? It didn't seem logical that Androcles could be resurrected especially after almost two decades since his destruction.

"Angela!"

I looked up and saw Tianna, Vanessa, Jimena, Serena, and Catty running up to me. Their moon amulets reflected the sun.

"Hey," I waved sluggishly. I frowned when I felt something important on their minds. I didn't push into their mind and see what exactly was on their minds. My stomach was twisting into knots though.

"We need to talk to you." Jimena said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"All right." I said. I felt unease and I was prepared to bolt.

Serena sighed. "Angela we know you're an angel."

My heart tightened and I tried not to show how much her declaration had startled me.

"What?" I asked. "I know my name means angel, but it doesn't mean I am one."

"Latia." Catty said my name and I froze. They knew. There was no doubt they knew.

"How?" I asked, glaring at them.

"Stanton, told us." Vanessa said.

I peered into her mind. I bolted up. Stanton was Prince of the Night, the highest honor given by the Atrox.

"Latia?" Tianna asked softly.

"You're one of them. One of the Atrox's Follower."

"No!" Jimena said. "We fight Followers."

"Lair." I spat. Fear took over. I darted around them and took off running.

"Latia!"

"Go to hell where you belong!" I screamed over my shoulder. I put on another burst of speed when I heard their pursuit.

People seemed to have appeared out of thin air and I ran around them with those, Followers on my tail. I darted through an alley and sprang right over a chain link fence. I landed in a crouch and then got up as fast as I could and started running again.

I finally lost them and slowed to a walk. I felt a pain in my side and I wrapped my arm around my middle. I was going to have to leave L.A. It was way too dangerous for me to stay.

A chill shot through me. I sensed danger. My body felt antsy. I spotted a building that had a "club feel" despite looking like a normal home. It seemed dangerous, but being out in the open like this felt even worse.

I took a deep breath and crossed the road to the hidden club. I opened the door and slipped inside.

The club was…dark. The walls were painted black and the decorations were dark and gothic. The lights shone on the dancers. My lip curled, most of them looked like they were having vertical and clothed sex.

I went along the edge and sat down next to a lonely girl. She glanced up at me, but didn't say anything when I sat down. I began playing with my amulet nervously. I still felt unsafe, but leaving and going back in the open felt like a really bad and stupid idea.

A guy came over and asked the girl to dance.

"Sure." She said and she took his offered hand. He glanced at me and I thought I saw a flicker of yellow in his eyes. Yellow?

"_He's a Follower, Latia! Get out of there!" _ Jack's voice screamed in my head.

My stomach dropped. How did I get into this mess? I noticed that only the ones with yellow eyes were glancing hungrily at me, but made no approach to me. I got a feeling that they were waiting, something was going to happen that they wanted to witness.

I stood up and started back toward the exit. As soon I was out of here I was going to teleport right back home to pack.

A firm hand grabbed my arm and whirled me to face them. My blood ran cold and froze in my veins. I felt an old memory press against my mind. He still looked the same. His coal black hair was still spiky and his brown eyes were cold and hard despite the feral smile that spread across his face. The only thing missing was his wings.

"You." I heard myself say.

His smile spread. "So you remember me?"

I answered his question with a knee rammed into his groin. He gasped and his grip on my arm loosened enough for me to pull free and ran from him.

"Donahue! Osten!" He barked. Dancers broke apart as I pushed through them. Two angels, with wings, dropped from the dark ceiling and grabbed my arms. I writhed and tried to free myself. I tried to focus on my building power for an attack.

The spiked hair one walked over and suddenly plunged his hands into my stomach. I gasped and saw that there was a blue-white glow around where his wrists disappeared into my body. It felt like he was trying to grab something. I felt his fingers curled around something and I felt like something was being ripped from me.

I screamed in pain. It hurt. This was unimaginable pain. His smiled in a sick way, obvious enjoying my pain and screams. His hands felt like they were pulling something from someplace deep inside me.

I watched as he pulled something smoky and red from inside me. I felt my eyes widened as I stared at whatever he just pulled out of my body. It curled and danced around his hands. He looked at a white haired angel and nodded.

The white haired angel pulled me from the other. His arm went over my neck and pinned one of my arms to my side. The other angel took out a long, black blade. He grabbed my hand and drew the blade against my wrist. I felt a sharp sting and then blood gushed out.

The red smoke thing shot from his hands and curled around my bleeding wrist. It seemed to suck up the blood. My knees shook and the room began spinning as I watched a figure take shape. I remember dark evil eyes with a cold smile before I black out.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Androcles fanned his wings and stretched his arms. He inhaled deeply. "You took your sweet time Barros."

"I'm sorry my Lord." Barros, the spiked haired angel, said. He glared at the unconscious girl in Donahue's arms. "She was difficult to find."

Androcles looked at the daughter of the ones who destroyed him. He smiled. "Ironic that the ones who destroyed me produce the one to free me."

"What do we do with the girl?" Donahue asked.

He looked at her. "She could be very useful to our mission. Bring her with us to Nefandus."

Androcles turned around and a portal to Nefandus opened. Donahue flung the girl over his shoulder and walked through the portal.

Androcles was the last to enter the portal. He looked at the scared and helpless faces of the humans who had wandered in her. He smiled and he held his hand out in front of him.

He spoke in an ancient tongue and golden threads flew out of the humans and gathered in his hand. The hopeless humans screamed as the fallen angel walked into the portal.


	6. Chapter 5

Jack threw back his head and yowled in dismay at the clear blue sky. The serene robin egg blue seemed to mock him. Androcles had been freed. Latia was alive, but what he sensed was that she was in very grave danger and there was a very high chance of her dying.

He curled into a small little puff of fur and buried his face in his paws. He failed. The Elder entrusted him to watch and protect her. He had only been gone a short time to give his report to the Elder when he suddenly felt Latia's fear and pain. The Elder knew immediately what it meant when Jack told him.

The Elder should have skinned him alive and made slippers out of his fur. He should have at least stripped Jack of his intelligence and left him as a dumb animal instead of sending him to deliver a message to the Magna Mater of the Daughters of the Moon, whoever she was and who the hell were the Daughters of the Moon? The Elder gave him the address and the description of the Magna Mater, but how would she help Latia?

Jack shook his head. What use was it? Latia was as good as dead. Even if her body lived, she would not be Latia, but a nameless creature controlled by the Atrox.

_"Do not give up Jack. She is not lost yet." _The Elder's voice drifted through his mind.

Jack could sense the little comment that the Elder did not say. But they had very little time. Since time was different in Nefandus, then a few hours in this realm could be a couple of days in Nefandus.

Jack shook himself. He could not lose hope, he **could not** let the Atrox take his hope without even sucking it from his soul. Latia was stronger then she seemed. She would hold out long enough for help to come. Jack got to his paws and began running towards the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center which was next to an old apartment building.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Well," Jimena huffed. "That went well."

The girls looked at the tall chain link that Angela, or Latia, had cleared in one bound. They could see her blonde head disappearing into the crowd.

"What now?" Serena asked.

"I could follow her invisible." Vanessa said.

"I don't think it would do any good." Catty said. "She won't listen to us."

"Maybe we could ask Maggie to come to her apartment." Tianna suggested. "She'll probably stop there before she runs. Even if she is an angel, she'll need food and money to survive here."

"Do you really think she'll listen to Maggie?" Vanessa asked. "She didn't listen to us." She looked thoughtful for a second. "Do you think she's already been attacked? Or least got a warning or threat of some kind?"

"Makes sense." Jimena said. "She looked really scared."

"I still couldn't pick up anything from her." Serena pouted. "I think Vanessa explanation makes sense."

"I think we should go to Maggie's." Jimena said. "Just call it a hunch, but I think we really need to go there." She sounded very serious despite the fact she had been shouting angrily in rapid Spanish seconds before.

Serena looked at her. "She's probably too far away to catch up with her now."

They turned around and started walking toward Maggie's apartment building.

They were buzzed in, and they walked into the apartment building and up onto the fourth floor. They knocked on Maggie's door. A retired schoolteacher opened the door. She frowned at them.

"She ran off." Jimena explained.

Maggie sighed. "Come in."

They filed into the apartment feeling like they failed miserably. Maggie shut the door behind them.

"We were thinking that maybe if you came to her apartment that would be able to talk to her." Tianna said.

Before Maggie could say anything there was a high-pitched yowl and something was scratching on the door.

Catty got up and opened the door. A mostly white cat with a black tail, a black strip down its back, one black paw, and a black muzzle streaked inside and jumped onto the table. He stared at Maggie with pale gray eyes.

"Maggie?"

Jaws dropped, except Maggie's.

"Yes?" She asked serenely as if cats talked all the time.

"I'm Jack."

"That tells us _nada, gato._" Jimena said.

He glared at Jimena. "I'm Latia's cat."

"She can make animals talk?" Catty asked, sitting back down at the table.

"Someday." The cat said. He looked at Maggie. "An Elder of the Angels came and made his eyes and ears, to help protect her." He took a deep breath. "He said I should find you, that you could help me."

"With what?" Maggie asked.

"Androcles has been freed."

A chill settled in the room.

"Where is she?" Maggie asked. Her tone was hard and tight.

"Nefandus."

"Where?" The girls asked.

"It's the realm Tianna can go to." Maggie explained. "It's where the Atrox rules."

"Then let's go right now." Tianna said.

Jack shook his head. "It's no that simple. Nefandus looks like a foggy, barren wasteland, but it's actually not foggy and barren. The fog hides the buildings and people."

"Then why can't we see it?" Catty asked. She had been trapped in that realm once.

"You need a guide or talisman." Jack said. "Latia will automatically be able to see because the Atrox didn't, or couldn't, prevent angels from seeing this world."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Jimena said, loosing patience with this feline.

Jack looked at Maggie. "The Elder I work with says that you can enter their dreams." He nodded at the girls.

"It's true, but I won't be able to enter her dreams." Maggie said.

"I can communicate with telepathically." Jack said.

Serena snorted. Sure, the _cat _can read the mind of an angel, but not a goddess. Jack gave her the kitty glare.

"If we work together, we may be able to get in touch with her. The Elder said he would assist us if we needed it." Jack said.

Maggie nodded. "We'll try tonight, when the moon rises."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Androcles strolled into the room. Dark power emitted from him that was greater than the other dark creatures in the room.

A black cloud with a blood red hue hovered against the walls. _"Androcles!" _It said in a happy tone.

"Master." The fallen angel bowed to the shadow. "It feels wonderful to be able to serve you again."

Some of the robed people curled their lip. The fallen angels were the Atrox's favorites, there was no doubt of that. They had power that it didn't have to give up and they were immortal without it lifting a finger to burn their mortality away. They willingly came to it with all their powers intact. Even the Goddesses had to have their powers replaced when mortality was consumed.

"About the girl, Latia." He began.

_"You wish to make her suffer and die for her parents actions?"_

"I would, very much." His eyes flashed. His angel face twisted into a demonic expression. "But I feel she may be very useful to us. She is a child of darkness and light, a rare creature. Her power is unimaginable and she doesn't even know her full potential. Of course if she proves too difficult to control then it'll be no problem to get rid of her." He said the last part with a light, carefree tone.

_"Very well. I'll give you full control of converting this girl. Do whatever you must or what you feel is necessary."_

"Thank your majesty." He bowed again. He turned his heel and walked out of the room.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I pushed against a thick black fog. My wrist stung and my entire body felt dreadfully sore. The black fog was unrelenting.

_"Let me wake-up."_ I shouted at it.

It stood there like a thick wall over my sight. I struggled against it determined to wake-up even though my subconscious was telling me that I didn't want to. The edges of the wall began to become lighter, grayer, then a sandy-gold.

I stared up at the earthen ceiling. I felt slightly uncomfortable. It was to be expected though. I was a child of heaven and being underground, cut off from the sky, made me uneasy. Not as bad as use to though. Possibly because I've lived on Earth for a decade and a half, a lot longer then when I lived in the sky.

I wiggled my toes and fingers. Everything felt incredibly sore and weak. What did he do to me?

I rolled my head and stared at the wall. I rolled my head to the other side and saw a thick door with ancient symbols craved in the wood. The cot I was on was the only thing in here. I looked at my wrist and saw the absence of my charm bracelet. I could feel my wings underneath me like a cushion.

But where was I? I couldn't remember anything after the spiked haired angel pulled whatever that was out from me.

I shivered when I suddenly remembered the cold eyes. Who or what was that thing?

I rolled over onto my side and then moaned in pain. It felt like that one time Jacob convinced me to go with him to a military camp. That was the stupidest thing I ever decided to do.

I pulled my t-shirt up and saw that there were two thick purple bruises on my stomach, about hand, or fist, sized. I saw that I had lost my flip-flops either in the struggle or when they brought me to this place.

I draped one wing other my legs and wrapped the other one around my middle, both for warmth and comfort. The feather's felt just like down or silky fur. I held my amulet in my hand. Didn't Mom say this amulet was for protection?

I heard footsteps echoing in the hall that evidently leads to my prison hole. I heard tumblers click loudly and the door groaned loudly.

I sat up and gripped the edges of the cot tightly so I wouldn't bolt and smash whoever's face was coming in here and end up on the floor.

One was…a zombie. He had rotting flesh that was molding and oozing, hair gone except for some tufts in his ears and nose, and discolored eyes. There was a God awful smell-sorry Lord-of decay. I just glared at him even though I wanted to vomit. Hey, if it landed on him it would probably make him smell better. He had a tray with what looked like soup and some tea. He set it next to the cot.

I realized that the cot was stuck between to large chunks of earth that could serve as tables.

I could feel a dark power and I turned to see a darkness angel with shoulder length dark brown hair and dark gray eyes. He wore a vest over his bare chest and a pair of cloth pants, not like sweats, but like those old time pants. He looked like he was in his late twenties and his face was to beautiful to be human.

"Hello Latia." He said in a pleasant voice. "I'm not sure you know who I am. You weren't even born when I was destroyed by your parents."

"Androcles." I whispered.

He smiled feral like. "I assume your parents told you about the _heroic deed _they did by destroying me." His grin grew. He reminded me of a wolf when it cornered a small, defenseless fawn.

_"He'll find out real quick that I'm not that defenseless." _I thought.

"Always thought it was ironic and very appropriate that their precious, only daughter would be the one to free me." He said. He cupped my face. I slapped it away.

"Of course," He began pacing the room. The zombie creature slipped out and stood out like a guard outside the room. "I had my own plans for revenge on your parents while I was living inside of your body."

I shivered. He had been living inside of me all these years? I felt like once I got out of here that I need to slice myself open and pour holy water, or bleach, into myself to get ride of his germs and presence inside of me.

"But those plans consisted of them being alive." He said bitterly. "Now I have to settle with turning their precious daughter into the very thing they fought against." He glanced at me. "It would mean so much more if you cooperated."

I grabbed the tray and threw it at him with a speed that surprised me. He held out his hand and stopped it before it hit him.

"Really Latia, this was prepared especially for you." He said. He looked at the spilled soup and tea. "Are you really that ungrateful of a child?"

"Only to people who hold me against my will." I said. I sat back on the bed, feeling dizzy and weak like I hadn't eaten in forever.

"Perhaps I should bring you a companion?" He asked. He took the cup, saucer, bowl, and spoon that were floating in the air and put them on the tray in his hand. "I could feel what you felt for that one angel, Aidan was his name?"

I felt my heart tighten. "Leave him alone. He has nothing to do with this."

"If he was trying to protect you then he must be punished for his interference." He said. "Besides, some new blood in our group could be a very good thing for us. His father is one of legend." He sighed. He stared at me and grinned knowing that even if I denied it myself. He knew it was more than lust or infatuation.

"Sleep well." He sneered. He walked out and shut the door.

My stomach grumbled loudly. "Shut up!"


	7. Chapter 6

Minutes, hours, days, they all blurred together. Time didn't exist in this place. I was somewhat glad that I wasn't affected too much being cut off from the sky. Especially when Barros came. Because he was uncomfortable, he always quick with what he had to do.

If Androcles came, then I would be lectured and he would try to break the barrier of my mind. He would always leave in a foul mood.

If Barros came, the spiked haired angel, I could expect a lot of physical pain. He was a healer, but he had learned how to use this gift to cause people pain.

I writhed on the floor with him looming over me. "This makes up for your escape." He sneered.

"Barros!" Androcles shouted.

The pain stopped and I breathed deeply. I grabbed the edge of the cot and pulled myself up. My limbs shook violently. Androcles walked in and Barros bowed his head to him. He looked at me. He smiled. He turned to let two angels walked in and they were dragging/carrying an unconscious, blonde angel with black wings.

"Aidan." I couldn't stop myself from saying his name. I stepped aside as they tossed him on the cot.

"Come on Barros." Androcles said.

The other angels followed him out and shut the door behind them. I found that the symbols on the door kept me from using my powers to blast the door into a million splinters. I doubted I could any way.

I turned to Aidan. I walked over and touched his arm. "Aidan?"

He moaned and clutched his head. He saw me. His face brightened. "Latia!" He took my face in his hands. "You're all right."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, being stuck in this prison is being all right."

He chuckled and kissed my forehead. I jerked back and glared at him. "How did they capture you?"

"I was looking for you." He said. "I stopped by your house and got ambushed."

"Do know a way to get out?" I asked.

He looked uncomfortable. "I…can't focus." He looked at me strangely. "Why aren't you affected by being underground?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. Maybe because I've lived on Earth for so long, it doesn't affect me."

He sat up and patted the spot next to him on the cot. I sat beside him.

"Why would they put us together?" I asked him. "Wouldn't us being together bring our chances of escape up?"

"Doubt it." He said. His voice was tight like it was difficult for him to speak. "I could blast that door apart, but being underground is screwing up my focus. Being underground doesn't affect you, but you don't have the knowledge or endurance probably to blast the door down."

"So, we trapped." I felt my heart fall.

His arms and wings wrapped around me and he pulled me into my lap. "I'm fine with being trapped with you." He put his lips in my hair and kissed my temple.

"Great." I muttered. "Are you sure you don't want us to escape because you're enjoying being trapped with me too much?"

"Maybe." There was a smile in his voice.

I sighed. I wasn't going to admit this to him, ever, but I felt safe with him. He cupped the side of my face with his hand and his thumb traced over my cheekbone.

I had to get him out of here. They would hurt him to break me. He was the only thing I cared about. If he wasn't there, then I would never join them. They probably knew that. I would never join them because they murdered my parents. That memory was scarred into my brain tissue. It would never go away.

"They brought me to help break you, didn't they?" Aidan asked.

"I think so. I would never join them any other way because they murdered my parents." I said.

"Don't give in." He whispered. "No matter what they do to me, you _cannot _fall."

"Why do they want me so badly?"

He chuckled. "You are kidding right? You are a daughter of darkness and light. You probably have powers no other angel has."

"What use are they if I can't control it?"

"They'll be more than happy to teach you." He muttered darkly.

I shivered. "We need to escape."

"I need a nap first." He mumbled against my neck. His head had slid down to the curve of my neck. I could feel him kissing my neck.

"Stop molesting me you pervert." I mumbled, trying to untangle myself from his embraces.

"I'm not molesting." He mumbled. He yawned. "Yet." He fell back onto the cot with me still in his arms. He snuggled in my hair and snored softly.

I sighed. "So much for my rescuing prince." I curled against him and fell asleep.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I felt someone shake my shoulder roughly. I blinked and saw Aidan sitting up. He seemed very tense. I realized that the door was opening. I sat up. Aidan pushed me behind him.

The door opened and three angels walked in the prison.

"You're coming with us, boy."

Aidan snorted. "I do have the mark. I'm not a boy you fallen bastards."

One of them didn't like his answer and threw what looked like an emerald colored lightening bolt at his chest. He slammed back into me and rammed me into the wall. My head made an unpleasant smack sound. My eyes watered. I gasped in his ear when his butt landing in my stomach drove the air from my body.

He put a hand on my hip like he was reassuring himself that I wasn't a pancake on the wall.

"Now. You don't want to be around when Barros starts talking to your girlfriend." He smiled demonic like.

I touched his shoulder. "Just go." I whispered.

He glanced back at me before getting up and walking up to the fallen. One started walking down the hall with the other walking behind him. Barros turned to me and smiled. I expected him to grow fangs, claws, and horns right then and there.

I gritted my teeth at the sharp pain spreading across my body. It was just as bad, if not worse, when he pulled Androcles from my soul.

"You're weak you know." He told me. "Why not give in? You'll suffer less this way."

I spat at him. He raised his eyebrows and the pain increased.

"You are an insult to your parents." He hissed. "How could someone like you be a spawn of theirs?"

Anger began boiling in my veins. I wanted to kick him in the groin and laugh over his writhing form.

"Their sacrifice was in vain. They protected a spineless thing that had no chance against us any way."

I snapped. White-blue lightening gathered around me. He took a step back, releasing the hold the pain had on me. When he did that the lightening split the air between us and slammed him into the wall. He slumped the ground, unconscious.

I propelled myself off the cot and into the hall. The overconfident penis breath head had left the door wide opened. I ran down the halls. It felt like I was sending out sonic vibrations through the earth or something was leading me to the exit.

"Find her!"

I heard it all around me and it made the walls shake.

Two angels appeared at the end of the hall and spotted me.

"Found her!"

I spotted two pillars near the end of the halls. I pointed at them and concentrated. The bases cracked and I drew my hands together. The pillars slid from the bases and crumbled in front of the angels, blocking them from me.

I turned left down a corridor and began running. Darkness tried to close in around me, but I pushed it back with a burst of pure white light. My powers felt very out of control. But I couldn't pause to try and gain back control. That would take time, and I didn't have that.

I ran into a large open, domed room with glass replacing the domed roof so I could see the blood red skies. Where was I?

A burst of energy shot past me and made my hair stand on end. I turned and saw Barros behind me, looking very angry.

I ran to the side out of his range and someone stepped in front of me. They grabbed my wrists and I immediately felt them in my mind. The barrier had dropped because of my out of control powers.

I surrounded my memories and soul with a thick, spiked barrier. There was a flash of light and I saw their face.

My heart sank and my stomach clenched. The barrier flickered before collapsing. It was Aidan. They didn't capture him, he came willingly to help break me. He was part of the fallen.

I pulled against his hold, but my body was weakening. I pushed against his intruding mind with all my might, but he was a lot stronger. I kept fighting, trying to protect my mind from being taking over.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Aidan shoved into her mind and began shutting down her mind into unconscious. She sunk down to one knee. He kept a firm hold on her wrists. Every now and then he could feel her mentally stabbing at his attack.

Androcles, Barros, and Donahue ran in.

"Give me a few more seconds." He said. "She's still fighting."

"Quickly Aidan." Androcles ordered.

He gave a small nod and focused back on the girl. He wrapped his conscious around hers and dragged her into unconsciousness.

Before she gave in she stabbed him with one thought that made him flinch. _"Traitor!"_

Her body went limp and she sunk to the floor. Aidan kept a firm hold on her wrists.

"Well done Barros." Aidan spat at him.

"How is this my fault, Aidan?" Barros spat.

"You left the door _wide _ open." He said.

"I didn't expect her to fight back." He spat.

He felt Androcles' cold eyes on him. He turned and looked at him.

"You shouldn't be so arrogant." Androcles said as he took a menacing step towards Barros. Barros took a step back. "You almost let her _escape!" _Shadowy tendrils curled around him and were reaching toward Barros.

"You want me to take her back?" Aidan asked. Androcles glanced at the boy and girl. "She's still fighting subconsciously. She'll wake-up soon."

"Yes. You will take over now." He said. "I will only check on your progress. No one is to question what you are doing and no one will interfere."

"Thank you." He glared at Barros before lifting the girl into his arms and walking back to her prison.

Androcles turned to Barros.

"My Lord." He said. "Please, no."

Aidan could hear Barros screaming as he walked back down into the prison hole. He stopped. Being underground didn't bother her. She knew the way out from the hole now. He turned and began walking some up some stairs.

He spotted a Regulator. "Hey!"

The zombie like creature looked at him.

"There are chains in Latia's prison under the cot. Bring it to my room."

The Regulator nodded and shifted into a shadow.

Aidan kicked his door open and walked over to the large, canopy bed. He set her down on top of the bedspread and sensed the Regulator's return. He turned and the creature handed him large iron manacle and chain with symbols etched into the metal.

"You can leave now." He told it.

The Regulator vanished.

Aidan clasped the manacle around one of her wrists. He stuck the base right in the wall near the bed. The chain vibrated and glowed. Latia stirred and moaned like she was in pain.

The chain glowed gold before it vanished. The chain wouldn't let her out of the room. She didn't know how to break it or had the concentration to break.

"_Don't get overconfident or you'll end up like Barros." _He reminded himself.

Latia curled up into a ball. She mumbled and it sounded like: "Why Aidan?"


End file.
